REVOLUTION: MISSING SCENES
by Patcat
Summary: Missing scenes
1. Chapter 1

REVOLUTION: MISSING SCENES

Chapter One

"Oh, Damn!" she thought when the FBI agent gave the ok for the shot. "Oh, Damn!" she thought when she entered the bank and saw a bloodied Nichols holding the young woman's body. "Oh, Damn!" she thought when she walked out of the bank and saw a stunned Nichols sitting on the side of the ambulance. She'd seen similar expressions enough times on Bobby's face, but it surprised her to see one on Nichols. Nichols seemed so relaxed, so detached, so separate from everything. He appeared to possess the ability to distance himself from the case and the people involved in it. It was a quality Bobby had never developed. She'd concluded that Bobby's ability to identify with perps and victims was both his blessing and his curse. Her brief time with Nichols, coupled with Megan Wheeler's observations about him, led her to believe that Nichols' ability to detach himself from the case and its perps and victims was his blessing. She couldn't see how it could be a curse. Looking at Nichols seated numbly outside the bank, she realized his psyche might be more bloodied than his body.

"Oh, Damn!" Alex thought as she walked closer to Nichols. "Another cop whose hand I'm going to have to hold…" She saw, with relief, that Nichols at least has his jacket on. She sat next to him, and heard him mutter something about fathers. "Oh, Damn!" she thought. "He has father issues too…"

A shadow appeared over them, Alex looked up at Captain Ross. "I'm sorry, Nichols," he said, and Alex thought that he actually meant it. "It wasn't my call…The FBI made it…But I have to tell that I agree with it."

Nichols stared at the street. "She…She was giving up…You…You didn't trust me…"

"We couldn't be sure," Ross answered in a steady voice. "And I trusted you…I trusted you to keep her talking and then to catch her…"

"She was giving up," Nichols said quietly. "I know it."

Her cell phone vibrated in Alex's pocket. She knew who was calling her and why and that she would have to ignore it for the moment.

Ross looked at Alex and then Nichols. "Both of you had back to Major Case. I'll take care of things here. Nichols…If you need to get checked out…"

Nichols roused himself. "I'm ok…"

"I'll get him back," Alex promised. "And make sure he's all right."

"Do you have a change of clothes back at the Squad?" Alex asked gently as she and Nichols walked to the SUV. "Do we need to stop?"

"I…I've got a change…" Nichols studied her. "You've had a lot of practice at this…"

Alex slipped into the driver's seat. "Enough that I don't mind it."

As she pulled on her seat belt, her cell phone beeped and vibrated to let her know she had a text message.

"You can get that," Nichols said. "I don't mind."

Alex eyed him.

"Seriously," he said. "I'm not looking forward to getting back to the squad room."

"Ok." Alex pulled out her phone. As she expected, there was a voice and text message. She ignored the voice message—she had a pretty good idea of who left it and what it said—and checked the text. "R U Ok?" it asked. She responded. "Ok. Talk U soon." She shut her phone and put it in her pocket. She eased the SUV from its spot.

"Goren?" Nichols asked hesistantly.

Alex concentrated on the traffic. "Yes."

"He was worried about you?"

"Yes…"

Nichols stared out the window. "I wonder if Wheeler knows about this…"

"I expect she does," Alex said. "But she probably feels the boundaries between you and her might not allow for a call right now."

"And the ones between you and Goren?"

"Are…fluid."

Alex sensed that under different circumstances, Nichols would have pursued her answer, but he only nodded.

"What," he asked after several blocks passed. "What happened when they decided…"

"It wasn't "they"…It was "her"," Alex answered. "The FBI agent made the call, like Ross said."

"Could you hear inside the bank?"

"We could…But the agent wasn't really listening after a certain point." Alex pulled into the One Police Plaza parking lot. "It wasn't our call. I think she had a protocol to follow."

"Yea…"

Nichols was quiet as they rode the elevator to the eleventh floor, but Alex could hear his brain shifting and turning gears. It was very similar to being with Bobby after a difficult case. Nichols pulled his extra clothes out of his locker and left to change. When he returned he wordlessly began to deal with the paperwork. His cell phone rang, and he stared at the number in surprise.

"Wheeler," he told Alex.

"Good girl," Alex thought.

"Hey, Wheeler," Nichols said. He made no effort to hide the conversation. "Yea…" he continued. "I'm ok…Eames is holding my hand…" He glanced sheepishly at Alex. "How's the baby? Good…Good…I may take you up on that…Yes…I promise I'm ok…I will…Thank you…Thank you." Nichols shut and pocketed his phone.

"I guess," he said deliberately. "That's where the lines are."

Alex gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Those are hard to establish," she said. "Especially," she thought. "If you both keep moving them."

The atmosphere in the Squad Room changed, and Alex looked up to see Ross, accompanied by the FBI agent, several important looking people in suits, and the Chief of Detectives enter. "Oh, Damn!" she heard Nichols mutter, echoing her thoughts. Ross led the group into his office. After a few moments, the Captain strode out of the fish tank like room and over to Nichols' desk.

"I want you," Ross said, not unkindly. "To leave for the day."

Nichols blinked at him.

Alex clicked off her computer, stood, and grabbed her coat. "I'll get him out of here."

Nichols looked at Alex, and then at Ross. "What…Am I…"

"You're not in trouble," Ross said. "It's worse than that…The Chief wants to parade you before the press as a great hero."

Alex seized Nichols' jacket. "C'mon," she said. "I'll make sure he gets out of here, Captain."

Nichols stood slowly and took his jacket. "Thank you," he said softly to Ross.

Alex walked Nichols through Major Case to the elevator. She saw the stares and quick glances, and wondered how often she'd taken a similar walk with Bobby. The presence of others in the elevator kept her from speaking to Nichols, and they were in the plaza in front of One PP before either said anything.

"C'mon," Alex said gently. "You can buy me a drink…"

"Uh…I really don't drink…Except for tea…"

"Ok, then," Alex said. "You can buy me a fancy tea."

Nichols opened his mouth, then shut it. He stared at the ground. "I don't suppose," he finally said. "My protesting would do any good?"

"Nope," Alex said.

Nichols slowly emerged from his numbed state as he and Alex drank their tea. They avoided the elephant of what had just happened and talked about Wheeler and her new baby and Eames' family. Alex pulled out several photos of her nephew, and Nichols offered the proper admiring words. He saw one picture showing the boy on Bobby Goren's shoulders. Both nephew and detective wore goofy smiles.

"Looks like your partner is one of your nephew's favorites," Nichols commented.

"Yea." Alex tucked the photos away. "Probably the two most important and best guys in my life."

"How is Goren?"

"Fine…Chafing to get back to work," Alex said. "This case especially…He felt like he was letting us down…"

"What was it? His knee?"

"Yea…It gives him trouble some times," Alex said. "He hurt it when he was in the Army. And again when he got his Medal of Honor…"

Nichols' eyes widened. "I'd heard about that…He does have one…"

Alex nodded. "Yea…And if you ever want to embarrass him, just ask him about it. He'll mumble something about how it was nothing and he was just doing his job. And I can tell you it was considerably more than that. Anyway, his knee gives him trouble occasionally. He claims he can tell when it's going to snow by the way it hurts. When he was in Tennessee he took a tumble, but he was brave and stupid about it…"

Nichols smiled.

"And he didn't get it checked until he got back," Alex said. "He finally went to a doctor…Well, I sorta forced him…"

Nichols' smile widened.

"Turned out he'd pulled and torn some muscles. The doctor told him to stay off it or risk surgery and a much longer and nastier recovery time." Alex shrugged. "He actually paid attention to the doctor, although he's done some work off site. Some of the research on this case…"

Nichols quietly absorbed this information. "Let him know I appreciate that…As well as the aid of his partner…Thank you, Eames…I…I'm grateful that you…"

"Not a problem." Alex leaned across the table. "Are you ok?"

"Ok…Not completely," Nichols answered. "But I don't think you should be completely ok right after something like this…I doubt I'll sleep very well tonight…Or for any night in the near future…But it'll get better…"

"I can drive you home," Alex offered.

"That's kind of you, but I'll be all right…Besides…It'd take you way out of your way…Really…I'll be fine…I could use some time alone to figure things out."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure," he insisted. "But let me walk you back to One PP to get your car."

They walked quietly and quickly back. Alex turned to Nichols.

"Last chance," she said.

"Thanks again…But I'll be fine." Nichols stared at nothing in particular. "I think I'll go see Wheeler and the baby…I haven't seen her for a week…I'm sure the baby has changed."

"I think that'd be a good idea…For you, Wheeler and the baby," Alex said. "Be sure to bring her gifts."

Nichols smiled. "I will. Thank you again, Eames. Thank you."

Alex watched until Nichols was safely inside a cab. "Well," she thought as she walked through the parking garage. "Not nearly as tough as putting Bobby back together…But then…I don't think Nichols was as broken as Bobby ever was…Bobby…"

Alex checked her phone. There was one new text message that had arrived roughly an hour earlier. "U ok?" it read. "Plz call."

Alex responded, "Ok. Call when home." She smiled as she remembered how much trouble Bobby had learning how to text.

For once, the traffic spirits favored her, and she got home in record time. As she neared her house she saw that a classic black Mustang sat at the curb.

"Bobby," she thought with a mix of affection and exasperation.

END CHAPTER ONE

Ah, the plot bunnies do vex me. I hope my description of texting is somewhere close to what it actually is like.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Alex checked her security system and carefully opened her door. The wonderful smell of pasta, sauce, and cheese greeted her. "Bobby?" she called.

"In the living room…"

Her exasperation grew as she walked into the room. Bobby sat on her couch, his injured leg propped up on a pillow. A cane leaned against the couch, and a book sat on the side table.

"Before you get upset," Bobby said. "I have a note from the doctor." He held up a slip of paper. "I'm cleared to drive and to walk a bit with the cane. I can take the brace off when I sleep." He handed the note to Alex, who examined it carefully.

"Well…It looks genuine…I can't read the handwriting," Alex said.

"You can call his office," Bobby said.

Alex snorted. "Not at this hour…I guess I'll have to trust you." She walked to the front of the couch. "What smells so good?"

"Mama Leone's takeout." Bobby carefully swung his leg around and sat up. "I wasn't cleared for cooking, but I thought you could use some real food." He studied her. "Are you ok?"

Alex sat heavily next to him on the couch. She wasn't sure if it was exhaustion, his kind and gentle tone, or that she felt safe with him, or that her defenses were cracked and leaking. She leaned forward and shoved the palms of her hands into her eyes.

"I don't know…I don't know," she murmured. "Oh, Bobby…This one…This afternoon…Poor Nichols…"

His arms wrapped around her. "C'mere," he said. "C'mere."

She turned and collapsed into his embrace. He was big and warm and soft, and for the first time in several days, Alex felt safe. She didn't cry, but closed her eyes and nested against him. One of his hands slipped beneath her sweater and tank top and made tender warm circles on her back.

"Nichols got spooked? Did he get hurt?" Bobby's voice was so low Alec thought it might come from insider her head.

"Yea…Spooked…When the girl got shot…The blood sprayed over him." She was surprised that her voice was so calm. "He…He isn't detached all the time."

"I didn't think he was," Bobby said. "I don't think you can be completely detached and be a good detective…Which he certainly is…" He nuzzled her hair. "Of course…I take it to the extreme in the opposite direction."

"He…He doesn't like or want publicity," Alex said. "He's like you that way."

"I bet he's easier to put back together…"

"A…A little," she admitted.

"You had to hold his hand?"

"Yea…"

"And now you need some handholding yourself?"

"Yea…"

They sat quietly and comfortably on the couch for several minutes until the rumble of Alex's stomach disturbed the peace.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"It's ok…We need to get the stuff out of the oven before it gets a little too warmed up," Bobby said.

Alex stood. "I'll get it…"

"We'll both get it…I told you…I can move," Bobby said. "And I'll be careful…I want to get back to work."

For a moment Alex considered seizing his cane and running away with it, but the plea in his voice and eyes stopped her.

"Ok," she said. "But I'm keeping an eye on you."

She was surprised that after the day's events she could eat. In truth, she was ravenous, and she realized she hadn't eaten since a hurried bagel some twelve hours earlier. Bobby produced a bottle of wine, and it wasn't until she was halfway through her lasagna that Alex was suddenly reminded that she'd drunk more than half of the bottle.

Bobby smiled at her. "You might want to slow down a bit," he said. He started to stand.

"No," Alex said with a little too much force. "I'll get the dishes…You don't need to be getting up and down on your knee." She reached for her glass and nearly knocked it over. "Oops…" Sadness filled her eyes.

"What is it?" Bobby was at her side immediately.

"It's what Nichols said…Oops…Something about parents and why he'd be a bad father…" Alex fought the sob rising in her throat.

"Oh…Alex…Not only did you have to hold the hand of another cop, you had to hold the hand of another cop with bad parents."

She lost her battle against the sob. Bobby again wrapped his arms around her and held her for several moments. She was dimly aware that he murmured soft, gentle, comforting words to her; she was more aware of the tender circles he made on her back.

"I…I'm sorry," she stuttered when her tears ended. "I…I think it was the wine."

"Maybe that…and a few other things," Bobby said gently. He looked down at her. "There's some dessert…Why don't you get a shower, and I'll get it ready."

"You…You'll be careful…"

"Very careful. I promise." He placed his right hand against his chest.

"Ok." She wiped her eyes. "But only because I know standing there isn't good for your knee."

Even with the promise of dessert, Alex stayed in the shower for a long time, letting the hot and gradually cooling water wash away the day and the wine. The temperature was just reaching an uncomfortable level when she heard a knock at the door.

"Hey," Bobby asked with an edge of concern. "You ok?"

Alex shut off the water. "Fine…"

"Good…I was afraid the wine might've hit you…Hurry up…The tiramisu is calling to me…"

Bobby had scarcely reached the kitchen before Alex rushed to join him.

"Why didn't you tell me you brought Mama Leone's tiramisu? I would've skipped the shower." She plopped down in her chair and looked hungrily at the concoction on her plate.

"Because I didn't think it would mix well with the wine," Bobby replied genially. "And I was afraid you might fall asleep in it."

An hour later, Alex lay against Bobby's warm, broad body as he rested on her couch. He read his book, although one of his hands moved lazily through her hair. She idly flipped through the TV channels. She arrived at one of the news channels which carried a report on the girl's death. She quickly clicked off the TV.

"Ok?" Both of Bobby's hands roamed gently through her hair.

She responded by burying herself deeper into his body.

"It's ok," he said tenderly. "To not be the holder…To be the one being held…"

"I…I know…And I'm glad you're here to hold me…"

END

So, fluffiness. I appreciate the many kind comments I've gotten recently for this and other fics.


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